Virtual memory space

Question

What determines the size of virtual memory? It depends on RAM or on architecture or something else.

Answer 1

It mainly depends on the architecture (32 bit, 64 bit, etc.). This simplified explanation of things is very , but the so-called "architecture" limits the size of the virtual address space. For example, a 32-bit architecture allows addressing memory addresses of 2 ^ 31.

RAM size limits the amount of physical memory that can be used, but not the virtual address space. (perhaps the hard drive can be used to expand the available physical memory)

In any case, I recommend reading the wiki page on virtual memory

Answer 2

Very simple, virtual memory is just a way to allow your software to use more memory addresses than real physical memory, so when data access is not already in physical memory, it is transparently read from disk and when additional physical memory is required to performing such actions, part of the current contents of the physical memory is temporarily recorded or "minimized" to disk (for example, the least recently used memory). In other words, some physical memory becomes a kind of cache for more virtual memory space, including a hard drive.